Why I Drink
by kir-girl24
Summary: AU We all love our wonderful drunk named Haymitch. But why does he drink? What actually happened in his Quarter Quell? This is his Story. This is his Games. His Games. His Pain. His Love. And The Reason That He Drinks. AU
1. Introduction

**Why I Drink**

**Intro**

I've always been someone that you could depend on. The boys in the neighborhood relied on me to help them win games. My parents relied on me to go to school and to help them with things. I even helped with food by adding my name more times for the reaping. I was the one everyone could depend on. But I couldn't save her. I couldn't save the life of a woman I'd come to care for.

I knew that I'd die when they called my name at the reaping. "Haymitch Abernathy." I didn't really care that I'd die. Everyone dies in the Hunger Games. I'd watched it year after year. My chances weren't so great and they seemed even worse with no previous victors and an escort like John Cannon.

But somehow I survived threw the first day and I fell in love. And I lost love. And I won. But the only thing that I won was wealth and pain. But now I drown my pain, drown my pain in the wealth of drink. But all the wealth of drink can't drown the brilliant green of my brilliant continuous nightmares. The green that use to look at me with love and passion but now haunts my dreams and only makes me want to drink more.

* * *

Now, all those who have read the books, know that he admits to having a mother, brother and a girlfriend but for the purpose of my fanfic I'm gonna make him a only child and with both parents. I'm just gonna do that for the sake of my imagination. But don't let that make you not want to read this. I think it'll be good despite going against some continuity.


	2. Chapter 1: The Reaping

**Now, all those who have read the books, know that he admits to having a mother, brother and a girlfriend but for the purpose of my fanfic I'm gonna make him a only child and with both parents. I'm just gonna do that for the sake of my imagination. But don't let that make you not want to read this. I think it'll be good despite going against some continuity.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own some of the characters or the situation. Haymitch and The 50th Hunger Games in particular. They do not belong to me they belong to Suzanne Collins author of the life altering series 'The Hunger Games'**

Chapter 1: The Reaping

I woke up but didn't open my eyes. I wanted to saver this feeling. I wanted to saver sleep. Sleep was rare in my life, it was rare that my mornings weren't interrupted by my mother shaking me awake. But I knew why I was left in peace, it was reaping day.

But this wasn't like any other reaping day. It was the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, The Quarter Quell. It'd been announced that this Quarter Quell four tributes would be taken from every district. My chances were already bad but now it was even worse. Being from the Seam I'd gotten tesserae so my name was in there at least 20 times, though it could be more. I couldn't think clearly this early in the morning.

I laid there thinking about how it would be to go into the arena. It would be terrible, I knew that, but how would it be to try to sleep every night knowing that people were looking for you, coming to kill you. Then if you went in there this year twice the people would be looking to kill you.

I was to awake now to fane sleep. I opened my eyes and looked at the ceiling. Might as well get today over with. I got up and walked over to the chest at the end of my bed. It was old, hell it was a family air loom for like 10 generations. I opened it and picked up a box, this too looked old and shabby. But it didn't matter; it only held my reaping clothes. The same clothes every year and every year I wasn't picked. I guess I considered it a good luck charm to look the same every year. I opened the box and set it on my bed; it was a white button up shirt with a gray over coat and that matched with the gray pants.

I turned and walked out of my bedroom and down the hall to the kitchen. I didn't smell anything cooking so we must be having something that didn't need cooking; my mom was probably waiting for that to celebrate my luck at not being chosen. As I approached the kitchen I heard my parents in discussion.

"This year his chances are two times worse." My mother said, I didn't have to see her face to know there were tears in her eyes.

"He's only 16. If he makes it this year then he'll only have two more years before he's safe."

"But he has so many tesserae in. He has it in there 20 times."

"There's other kids that have it in there more than he does. There's the Makillin Family, their 16 year old has it in there about 35 times. Then their 18 year old has his in there for 50 times. So his 20 isn't so much when you think about it. Then there's plenty of other kids that have it in there just as much as him. He'll be fine."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" my mother asked sniffing. And when my father didn't answer she continued, "I'm just glad that we only had Haymitch make it to reaping age. I couldn't go through this anxiety with anymore children."

My parents had had more kids but most of them hadn't made it past the age of four. I'd even had a twin brother but he'd died on our second birthday. I was glad that I didn't have any siblings, I couldn't go through the anxiety of having my brother or sister in the reaping with me.

"I just hope we never become grandparents." My father said. "I know Haymitch is good looking for his age but he knows what the consequences would be with having kids here."

I leaned against the wall, I did. Having kids here meant lots of tesserae, starving to death or dying in the mines; and if you weren't that lucky and your kid was picked you'd have to watch them be killed in the arena. District 12 never won the Hunger Games.

I took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen so find my father sitting at the table and my mother poured another bucket of water into our tub.

My mother noticed me and got a small sad smile on her lips, "Good morning sweetheart. Did you sleep well?" I shrugged. "I made you a bath. We figured since its reaping day we'd let you sleep in."

"Thanks." I mumbled.

She walked over to me and brushed a strand of my dark hair back, "Now take a bath and then go get dressed and I'll brush your hair." She looked at me for a moment longer and then as the tears started to fill her eyes she turned and walked into her room across the hall from mine.

"She has a bad feeling about today." My father said standing, "You know her and her feelings."

I nodded and he patted me on the shoulder before walking after her.

I stripped and got into the tub. I soaked for a moment just thinking. My mother had always had what she liked to think of as felling premonitions. She'd have a good or bad feeling and the day usually went that way. I tried to not think of what would happen if she was right this time. I submerged myself and thought for a second about just not re-surfacing.

As I washed myself in the tub I couldn't help but think of the kids in my class. Some of them were from town but most of them were from the Seam like me and had gotten tesserae so they'd have their names in there more than just five times.

I did have a friend and an acquaintance that I hoped would make it past this reaping day. Braiton McDanolds was my best friend. We joked and played ball together. He was attractive to the girls that cared to look; he was tall and had black hair, dark tan skin and light blue eyes. He was a great guy however a bit cocky. He was from town and had only had to take out a tesserae once when his father had gotten sick. He would have speed and some strength on his side if he did get picked but really today his worry was that I'd get picked.

The only other person that I cared about getting picked was Lisha. Lisha McBride was my…. Well crush. She was from town too but she was really down to earth. Sometimes I thought she liked me but others she avoided me like the plague. She was gorgeous; she had long curly blonde hair usually pulled back with a thick hair band so that her hair hung down but was out of her face. She had electric blue eyes and fair skin. She would have absolutely no chance in any sort of an arena, she was clumsy sometimes and had almost no strength. Sometimes I even had to help her carry her books.

I got out of the tub and wrapped myself in the towel on the table and walked into my room. I dressed; to tell the truth I didn't have a good feeling about today either. I was almost convinced that something bad was going to happen. Not necessarily that I was going to get picked but just that something bad was gonna happen.

After I was dressed my parents and I ate bread with cheese and left for the town square. As we walked my mother grabbed my father's and my hand. She squeezed mine with what I'm sure she thought was a comforting squeeze. She didn't want to let go even when she had to. She had tears in her eyes again as my father pulled her away. She looked at me like she'd never see me again.

I walked a few steps before I felt a hand slip into mine. I looked over to see Lisha staring sadly at me. I squeezed her hand, "Its ok Lisha." I whispered.

"I have a bad feeling about today." She said as we walked to check in.

"Yea that's going around." I heard a voice say behind us. I looked over to see Braiton. He smiled at me, more of a smirk really, "I'm not gonna hold your hand Mitchie."

I rolled my eyes, "I hope not."

Lisha didn't even let go of my hand when we checked in. Braiton walked off towards the boys section and I was about to fallow him before Lisha pulled me back.

"Haymitch." She said softly looking at me seriously with her electric blue eyes, "find me after ok. I want to talk to you about something."

I nodded and leaned over and kissed her forehead, "I'll find you after. Promise."

She reluctantly let go of my hand as her sister pulled her away and I walked towards the boys section and stood next to Braiton.

It took a moment before the mayor stood and gave his little speech about the history and told about the Quarter Quells. Then the District 12 escort, John Cannon, walked up and said that it was an honor, as always, to be in District 12 and have the honor of escorting the four lucky tributes to the Capital and into the 50th Hunger Games.

"Well let's not doddle; let's see who these two lucky girls are." He walked over to the bowl on his left and dug his hands into the bowl pulling out two slips of paper. He brought them back to the microphone and smiled as he opened the first one. "The first girl going to the 50th annual Hunger Games is…."

I held my breath.

"Lacy Heronson!"

I exhaled. I didn't know her. I'd heard of her but I'd never spoken to her. Lacy started to walk up to the platform. She was from the Seam and was 14ish. She had a pretty big family; I'd seen her on her way to get tesserae when she turned 12. I'd been on my way also. That was all I knew about her. I felt bad for her that she had gotten picked. I was hoping that it would be only older people, 14 was so young to die.

"Alright." John said stopping his clapping when she was about half way. "Let's get the second young lady up here. The second young woman to go to the Hunger Games is…."

I held my breath again.

"Lydia McBride!"

I let out half of the breath. It wasn't Lisha but it was her sister. Lisha had a fraternal twin sister, Lydia. I looked over to see Lisha's face, already pale, go chock white. Lydia hugged her and then made her way up to the platform. My heart broke for Lisha. This had to be what our bad feelings had meant.

"Alright, so now let's not keep these lovely girls waiting all alone, let's get the boys up here." He walked over to the right and grabbed two boy's names out. "The first boy to go to the games is…." He opened the first slip. "Conner Daniels!"

I gave a small nod. Conner was an 18 year old from the Seam.

"And the second young man to be going to the games is…." He opened the second paper, "Haymitch Abernathy!"

I couldn't breathe.

**I think the first couple chapters while he's on his way to the games might not be so exciting but hey the sooner he gets to the games the sooner we get fun and action. I have plans for Haymitch.**


End file.
